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A decade ago, the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl, “The Big Bang Theory” was one of the most watched shows on TV and “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis was the hit song of the year.
But those weren’t the only things happening in 2013.
Also that year, Densborn Blachly LLP made its debut as a boutique law firm.
Don Densborn and David Blachly had been working at Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP when they made the leap with Jarod Brown — now the owner of Brown Capital Group — to open an office on the north side of Indianapolis.
“Often times, business law practitioners do not have business backgrounds to start with, and we find that to be an advantage,” Densborn said.
Accountants by training and lawyers by profession, the attorneys signed the paperwork to start their firm and didn’t look back.
“I don’t know that we lost a single client in the transition to the smaller platform,” Densborn said. “For the most part, our clients have had a great sense of humor about supporting what we’re trying to do here. And it’s been very heartening to experience that.”
One thing that was on Densborn and Blachly’s minds when they hung their shingle was geography.
“Very few of our clients were located in the Mile Square,” Densborn said. “We thought the entrepreneurial class was mainly arrayed around the outer belts, if you will, and elsewhere in the state.”
Both he and Blachly have always had clients from around the state, Densborn continued, and they felt like being downtown would be a lot of work for those clients who would have to navigate traffic and find parking.
Thus, since its inception, the firm has stayed in the same space in the Parkwood Crossing office complex on East 96th Street.
Partners Alexa Woods, Brian Bouggy and Eric Schmadeke have been around since the early days of the firm, which focuses on real estate development and investment practice, mergers and acquisitions, and general corporate representation.
In the decade since opening its doors, the firm has grown to also include Carolyn Andretti, Jim Coles and Bill Haut, with Coles providing intellectual property transactions representation.
Lessons learned
One thing they anticipated in 2013 was the growing use of technology and the need to invest in it, Densborn said.
At a larger firm, he said, technology can cost millions of dollars. But for a smaller firm like his, it’s a couple thousand.
“I think being able to more nimbly access and exploit technology was really part of my thinking at the beginning, and I think that’s proven true,” he said.
Blachly said he wasn’t really surprised by anything at the beginning due to their experience. Instead, lessons they had already learned have been reinforced over the years.
“I think the evolution of the practice of law in the last 10 years has remarkably changed the landscape,” he said. “We’re much more technologically advanced.”
Still, Blachly said the firm isn’t unique in making mistakes and learning from them.
“Every law firm I’ve been in, you watch mistakes being made,” he said. “It’s like watching sometimes a car wreck that occurs in slow motion. And we’re no exception.”
Creating a culture
Asked about a favorite memory of the firm’s first 10 years, the first thing to come to mind for both Densborn and Blachly was Blachly’s Christmas parties.
“We’ve had some real wonderful get-togethers that have been very reinforcing for what we’re about,” Densborn said.
Another thing both Densborn and Blachly said they’ve enjoyed in their first decade is the connection and camaraderie they have in the office, which they said feels akin to a home away from home.
“There’s a lot of laughter in our office, there’s a lot of joy in our office,” Blachly said. “We have an atmosphere where everybody delights in the success of the other lawyers and the other professionals in our firm. I think that’s kind of unique in this profession. It’s from the bottom up. People enjoy working with each other, and people enjoy doing what we’re doing.”
Densborn agreed, adding that there’s a feeling of harmony in the firm.
Looking ahead
Over the last couple of years, Densborn said the firm has experienced an uptick in activity in both real estate and M&A work.
“We’ve gotten into larger transactions,” he said, “and to witness client success — and they’re harvesting very significant wealth with our help on the legal side — has been very rewarding for me. Always has been, but more the last couple of years than ever before in my career.”
Looking to the future Blachly said the firm hopes to continue its growth.
“Our strategy right now is to grow, but not grow for growth’s sake. We need, in particular, lawyers that are in their 30s and 40s and 50s,” he said.
Blachly noted they are already working on their succession plans.
“It’s remarkable when you can be involved in a profession, make a little money and have fun, and for that reason the last 10 years have been quite a ride,” he said. “It’s been a lot of fun. It’s not to say it isn’t challenging, it’s not to say it isn’t hard work from time to time, but it’s been a lot of fun. We’re looking forward to seeing what happens over the next 10 years.”•
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